Hybrid tea rose plant named ‘Predemera’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Hybrid Tea rose plant named ‘Predemera’, characterized by its light greenish ivory-colored flowers that are mostly green on the under side of the petals and mostly ivory on the upper side of the petals; long and strong flowering stems; dark green leaves; good flower production; and excellent postproduction longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of HybridTea Rose plant, botanically known as Rosa hybrida, commercially used asa cut flower, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar namePredemera.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop cut Rose varieties with novel andattractive flower colors, long and strong stems, dark leaves, and goodpostproduction longevity.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1994 oftwo proprietary selections. The proprietary selection P-151 was thefemale, or seed, parent and the proprietary selection 93-221 was themale, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Predemera was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands.Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the new Rosediffer in flower color and have a longer postproduction longevity.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings taken at Rijsenhout,The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new HybridTea Rose plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Predemera’. These characteristics incombination distinguish the new Hybrid Tea rose as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Light greenish and ivory-colored flowers that are mostly green on theunder side of the petals and mostly ivory on the upper side of thepetals.

2. Long and strong flowering stems.

3. Dark green leaves.

4. Good flower production.

5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Hybrid Tea Rose plant can be compared to the commerical HybridTea Rose cultivars Prebian, not patented, and Pretaner, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,272. However, in side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the cultivardiffered from plants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose produce about 10 percent fewerflowering stems per square meter than plants of the cultivars Prebianand Pretaner.

2. Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have slightly shorter floweringstem length than plants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner.

3. Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have slightly narrower leaves thanplants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner.

4. Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have obtuse leaflet apices whereasplants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner have acute leaflet apices.

5. Flowers of plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose are light green andivory in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivars Prebian andPretaner are light yellow to white in color.

6. Flowers of plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose are smaller than flowersof plants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner.

7. Flowers of plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose do not open as fully asflowers of plants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner.

8. Flowers of plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have fewer petals thanflowers of plants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner.

9. Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have shorter peduncles than plantsof the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner.

10. Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have longer postproductionlongevity than plants of the cultivars Prebian and Pretaner.

The new Hybrid Tea Rose plant has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature, light or fertility level,without, however, any variance in genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the new Hybrid Tea Roseplant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtainin colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph maydiffer slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription which accurately describe the actual colors of the newHybrid tea rose. The photograph comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowers and leaves of the new Hybrid Tea Rose grown inRijsenhout, The Netherlands.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, under glass withaverage day temperatures of 19° C. and average night temperatures of 17°C.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.—Rosa hybrida cultivar Predemera.

Commercial.—Hybrid Tea Rose used as a cut flower.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Rosa hybrida proprietary selection 93-211, notpatented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Rosa hybrida proprietary selection P-151, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type.—Cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 15 days with soil temperatures of at 25°C.

Time to develop roots.—About 28 days with soil temperatures of 25° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.—Upright; narrow; bushy.

Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous.

Plant height.—About 100 cm.

Plant width.—About 40 cm.

Productivity.—About 180 stems per square meter per year under greenhouseyear-round production.

Flowering stems.—Quantity: Moderate branching; typically three perplant. Length: About 85 cm. Diameter: About 3 cm. Internode length:About 7 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 137C. Prickle length: About 8 mm.Prickle color: At the base, 199D; mid-section and towards the apex,200D.

Foliage description.—Leaves arranged alternately, compound with five toseven leaflets per leaf, and generally symmetrical. About 12 compoundleaves per flowering stem; typically the distal four leaves have fiveleaflets and the proximal eight leaves have seven leaflets. Stipulesminute; acute; similar in color to leaves; insignificant. Length,seven-leaflet leaves: About 17.5 cm. Width, seven-leaflet leaves: About13 cm. Length, terminal leaflet of seven-leaflet leaf: About 8.9 cm.Width, terminal leaflet of seven-leaflet leaf: About 5.8 cm. Length,terminal leaflet of five-leaflet leaf: About 8 cm. Width, terminalleaflet of five-leaflet leaf: About 5.5 cm. Leaflet shape: Ovate.Leaflet apex: Obtuse. Leaflet base: Obtuse. Leaflet margin: Serrate.Leaflet texture: Leathery, glabrous, shin. y. Color: Young foliage,upper side: 147A. Young foliage, under side: 200C. Mature foliage, upperside: 139A. Mature foliage, under side: 146A. Venation, upper side:139A. Venation, under side: 148A. Petiole length: About 3 cm. Petiolediameter: About 2 mm. Petiole color: 147B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Light greenish ivory-colored flowers that aremostly green on the under side of the petals and mostly ivory on theupper side of the petals. Consistently symmetrical rosette flowers.Freely and continuous flowering. Flowers borne singly at terminal apicesor in clusters of two. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions.

Fragrance.—Not detected.

Flower diameter.—About 10 cm.

Flower depth (height).—About 6 cm.

Flower longevity on plant.—About 25 days.

Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About 20 days.

Flower buds.—Shape: Ovate. Length: About 5.6 cm. Diameter: About 3.8 cm.Color: 145A.

Petals.—Quantity: About 31 per flower. Typically about four rows withseven or eight petals each. Length: About 5.2 cm. Width: About 7.3 cm.Shape: Orbicular with obtuse apex. Aspect: Petals reflex as the flowersopen. Margin: Undulate and entire. Texture: Satiny and slightly rippled.Color: Upper side, when opening: Towards apex, 145A; towards base, 157A.Under side, when opening: Towards apex, 146C; towards base, 145D. Upperside, fully opened: Predominately ivory; at margin, 145B; mid-sectionand towards base, 157B. Under side, fully opened: Predominantly green;towards apex, 145A; towards base, 145D. Fading to: 157A.

Sepals.—Quantity: Typically five per flower. Calyx length: About 4.4 cm.Calyx diameter: About 4.4 cm. Shape: Roughly subulate to acute; apex,sharply acuminate; with three to five lateral extensions. Texture:Smooth. Color: Upper side: 138B, dull. Under side: 146B, dull.

Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length: About 6.1 cm.Texture: Glabrous. Color: 138A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 82 per flower. Antherlength: About 3.5 mm. Anther width: About 9 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.Anther color: 17A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 10C. Pistils:Quantity: About 98 per flower. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stylelength: About 8 mm. Style color: 155B. Stigma color: 22A. Ovary color:155A.

Seed.—Yield: Low. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: 159B.

Disease resistance: Moderate resistance to Powdery Mildew has beenobserved under commercial greenhouse production conditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hybrid Tea Rose plant named‘Predemera’, as illustrated and described.